Beck Highlights High Demand in IML Solutions

“At the beginning, we assumed that our market entry would be positively evaluated by medical companies. However, we did not expect so much positive feedback and requests,” Ralf Ziemer, sales manager medical at Beck Automation, recalls. It was not only the reactions to the market entry in the social networks that were positive, but also the requests received in the following period. It had been assumed that there would be less demand for in-mold-labeling applications, and they initially concentrated on applications in the area of high-speed take out and downstream.

However, IML solutions have also been in high demand until now, which is why Beck Automation has adapted its strategy. “We didn’t necessarily want to push IML in the medical sector, but about 50% of all requests have to do with IML. Some of these are specific, high-precision applications. For example, we are currently working on a solution to insert an RFID label into components that will later be used with pre-filled syringes. We received the request for this future-oriented technology because we are the only automation company that can offer such precise solutions,” says Ziemer. In addition, other promising projects were generated.

The Beck Automation engineering team is currently working on a solution to apply the scale of a centrifuge tube using IML. In this case, IML will replace the printing technology used so far. Ziemer is aware that the IML process must be very precise, reliable and repeatable. To some extent, tolerances of the labels have to be compensated too.

“We are able to reproduce these very precise IML processes. In doing so, we combine our experience with the innovations we have developed. Moreover, we are already working on future technologies, such as high-precision positioning, which we will present this year during the K trade fair in Düsseldorf,” Ziemer explains further.